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Banned

I got better things to do with my money, like put it in a 401K. Lots better rate of return. Better yet, I should be giving more to my church.

Having said that, my reasons for not going are entirely secular. There is nothing Biblical one way or another about it. It is like anything else, the Holy Spirit guides in all things, and if you cannot control yourself, dont go. But dont go because that is how God is leading you, not a unwritten Baptist rule, sort of like no dancing.

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New Member

As long as you limit your spending to your entertainment budget, expecting to spend it on just that and come away empty handed, I see no problem. People with addictive personalities should probably not get started with it though. There is one fast rule...the house ALWAYS wins over the long run.

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Well-Known Member

Supporter

I do not see a problem with it, but a good friend of mine says it hurts your witness to be seen at one.

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I appreciate the spirit behind the thought about from your friend but disagree with it completely. This business that if I go somewhere or am seen in some kind of public setting that will affect "my witness" is fallacious and an excuse some people use to prohibit perfectly acceptable behavior or involvement with normal life things. (Granted I do believe there is a line at places like strip clubs, adult bookstores, etc.)

Personally I don't have a problem with walking into a bar or a casino. It doesn't hurt my witness, and allows me an opportunity to go where I want and connect with people who need Christ just as much as anyone else. Particularly these areas that aren't explicit sin issues (casinos and bars for instance) there shouldn't be a negative connotation associated with them. I believe it is perfectly acceptable for someone to have a drink with a friend or two in a bar if they desire. (I also believe there is a line with drinking and a clear distinctive there) I also believe that it is perfectly acceptable for someone to go into a casino and have some fun with some friends. (Again, there is a line where it becomes addicting that there is a problem.)

I don't believe the traditional evangelical stereo-types exist amongst the unchurched in our culture in ways which too many over-churched people in our churches believes they do. While this isn't a blank check to go and mess around unduly, there is certainly more freedom in Christ than many of our brethern allow.

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New Member

As long as you limit your spending to your entertainment budget, expecting to spend it on just that and come away empty handed, I see no problem. People with addictive personalities should probably not get started with it though. There is one fast rule...the house ALWAYS wins over the long run.

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Active Member

Used to be dancing, card playing, gambling, drinking, smoking and women wearing pants and having short hair, were things that would "hurt your witness". Why? Because somewhere along the line, our culture got to thinking that these were the sorts of things Christians didn't do. Probably because Christian's didn't do 'em for whatever reason.

Dancing, I read somewhere, was refused by Christians because the "rich and powerful" entertained themselves by dancing. Dancing therefore began to be looked at as worldly. Not necessarily a bad reason for not doing something right up until the point to where you simply say it is a sin without explaining why it is unwise to do such.

I'm sure there are similar reasons for the other "vices" I mentioned. All probably had a basis in a particular time where doing such was unwise, would lead you away from Christ or would hurt your witness.

Today, our culture is ever changing. There may be a reason why gambling would be a sin. I myself would never enter a casino(bingo parlors in our area) or smoke. Why? Well, I'm too stingy, the bingo parlors attract a "bad crowd" (meaning folks I wouldn't normally spend time with) and I despise the smell of stale cigarettes. Would it be a sin for me to do so? No. Would it hurt my witness? Probably, because folk here already know what I think of bingo.

On the otherhand, I readily admit that I occasionally have a glass of wine (though I never allow myself to become drunk), I wear pants, play cards (not for money) and my son has longer hair than I do. These things are all acceptable in my community and not against the clear teaching of scripture.

So, if you have already decided an issue and taken a stand on it, you may indeed hurt your witness if you suddenly beging doing that which have told others is wrong. And that is a valid reason not to something even though it may not be a sin. Otherwise, you need to decide for yourself, based on the reading of the Word, how things are looked at in your community and taking into consideration the views of Christians you believe, by their fruits, to be more mature and grounded in their faith than you are. Just my opinion, mind you.

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